Corrode
by SuzyJane
Summary: A bit AU. Hameron. Cameron disappears. House finds her in Arizona. Will being away from everyone they know allow them to finally admit their feelings or will they continue to ignore them? Some harsh language.
1. Preface The Only Truth

_Hello! It's been a looong while since I've been on here. But I'm attempting to start writing fanfiction again... Anyway, a short beginning... but I want to know if anyone is actually interested in this story... So feedback would be greatly appreciated :) Enjoy!_

**Preface **

Allison Cameron was Greg House's only truth. She was the one thing that would never corrode with time. His leg, his rat, his brain, his life, and all of his possessions would all rust and fade into the dust beneath is Nikes. But the feelings he held toward Cameron would forever remain in the hallways of Princeton Plainsboro, in the keys of his piano, and in the hearts of those that saw the glances he snuck in her direction.

He could hide all of this from himself, his clever brain detaching all the evidence away from the conscious part of him, but he couldn't, despite his best efforts, prevent everyone else, or at least the observant people around him, from seeing this truth. It was his subconscious which sent him almost nightly reminders of her.

When he woke in the mornings it was often with the sense that she was laying by his side, but reality would come sweeping in on the quietest of wings and bring him back to his empty bed and empty life. He would tell himself in the silence of the morning that he was simply reacting to how attractive she was and he didn't actually care about her.

He cared about no one. He would nod silently to himself though he was unaware of doing so and shake to two pills into the palm of his hand before standing and heading off to start yet another day in a sea of days that seemed to hold no meaning at all. It was his daily routine, a constant, insistent cycle that held him captive morning after morning…

He was smart enough to realize that he would never make it out...

_Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it! Have an amazing week! :)  
_


	2. Chapter 1 What's happened?

_Hello again :) I'm really sorry it took me so long to post this... school has been kicking my butt... but that's no excuse... Sorry! Here's chapter one... __Tell me what you think pretty please! :) And Happy Holidays! Hope you are all looking forward to them! Anywho, enjoy!_

**Chapter 1**

The storm clouds over head matched his mood as he staggered outside. Half tripping, half limping to Wilson's waiting car. The handle underneath his hand gave way slowly and he clumsily fell into the passenger seat. A humorless laugh escaped his lips at the disapproving look on his best friend's face.

Yet, the silence that weighed in the vehicle all the way to his apartment spoke more than one of Wilson's self-righteous lectures ever could. Perhaps, the fact that Wilson wasn't even trying anymore meant more then the stream of words that would have once flowed out of his mouth.

"House…" Wilson murmured, tired and restless, pushing against some unseen barrier that was too high for him to climb this time.

House could still feel it. Damn it, he could still feel her. When would she fade? When would the halls cease their constant echoing of her laugh? When would he be free again?

"House…" Wilson tried again, noting the distance between them with resignation. He knew what his best friend needed… And it wasn't him. But it wasn't the damn booze either.

Why did he feel so fucking sober?

He rolled his eyes, exaggerating the movement, playing the drunken fool. "Wilson," he slurred, "Stop already 'k? I'm fine." He stumbled out of the vehicle and up the cement walk to his apartment door and slipped inside the dark, sullen space.

He felt the need to call out a hello as if he was walking into a stranger's home after finding the door unlocked. This didn't feel like his place. But no, there was his piano, his endless shelves of books, and his tired looking, black leather couch. He didn't seem to fit anywhere now. He was just going through the motions. There was nothing in the puzzles of patients for him anymore.

He found his way to his bedroom as if finding it for the first time. Why did everything seem so unfamiliar now? So distance and clinical? Where was the warmth? Where had it gone?

When he fell asleep he dreamed of fog and sea green eyes, too close to touch.

Waking in a cold sweat with her name balancing on his lips, he stared unseeing at the plastered ceiling. His thoughts running rampant until one by one he threw them out of his mind. He wasn't allowed to think about anything but the case files that slid across his desk.

His phone rang. With a groan he rolled over to reach it, expecting to hear Cuddy yelling at him from the other side. "Hello," He answered his voice rough from sleep.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line and he had half a mind to hang up but he could hear the quiet breath of the person on the other end. No, not breath, he realized, sobbing.

"Cameron," he said with conviction. Suddenly the fog that had enshrouded him since her departure lifted. "Where are you? Cameron? Cameron?"

"House," her voice was a choked whisper. "Come get me?"

"Just tell me where you are."

* * *

House pulled up to an out of date gas station in the middle of what could have been Egypt. Sand seemed to linger everywhere he looked. Arizona. Why the hell was she in Arizona?

Then he saw her.

Shirt torn, sand covered, exhausted, she was sitting on the ground by the crumbling east wall of the gas station. He drove up cautiously, disbelieving.

"Shit, Cameron," He murmured, crouching down next to her.

She turned to look at him, her eyes hallow and strained. "House," she breathed, reaching a hand out to touch him as if checking to make sure he was really there. "House." The relief was evident in her voice.

"Let's get you into the car." Jesus, she looked thin. Had she been wandering around in this middle of nowhere, mini Egypt for hours? He pulled her up, his arm curling around her waist and hers around his. They wobbled over to the passenger's side, him unable to support all of her weight because of his leg and her unable to stand on her own strength. She sank into the seat and he made his way back over to the other door.

He knew better than to pepper her with questions. She was done in. He took a moment to study her though and she blinked back at him, her eyes telling him more than he wanted to know at that moment. Something had happened. Some instinct in the back of his mind made him ask, "Which way?" as his car reached the end of the gas station's drive.

"Left," she murmured, glancing back toward the right with a spark of fear. Without meeting his eyes, she reached and clasped his hand with hers. "Thank you." It was barely the ghost of a whisper.

* * *

An hour later, they were finally approaching civilization. Cameron jolted awake as the car knocked against a speed bump. House was pulling into a Bed and Breakfast, the only accommodations that seemed to exist in this tiny, hole in the ground town. It had to be somewhere around three in the afternoon, not a common time for travelers to be stopping in.

He left her in the car hesitantly peeling his hand from hers. Their eyes met and held, each promising the other they wouldn't vanish into air if they looked away. The contact broke sharply.

The girl at the check in desk blinked up at House as he walked in. "Hello! Welcome to Golden Horizons! Are you in need of a room? I'm afraid we have only one vacancy at the moment."

House bit back the sarcastic comment that threatened to spill from his lips. "I'll take it."

The girl at the check-in desk whose name tag read Tonya smiled cheerfully, "That's great. Just fill this out and it's all yours. Supper is at seven." She handed him a clipboard which he filled out in his sloppy scrawl.

"You must be a doctor," Tonya joked.

"Yeah, must be," House muttered, too annoyed and tired to explain that he was, in fact, a doctor.

"Everything seems to be in order. Here is your room key and a schedule of events for the week. I'm glad you decided to stay with us!" She handed him a key with a plastic key chain charm proclaiming: _Thanks for sticking with Horizons, may your stay with us be golden!_ There were so many comments rising to House's lips at that, but before he could indulge in them the scrape of shoes and the squeak of the door alerted him to a new presence. He glanced up and found Cameron leaning against the door frame, looking pale and distressed.

"You took too long," she said, glancing away from him to the ground.

Tonya sitting at the desk turned toward the girl with shock. "Oh Honey, are you okay?"

Cameron looked at her confused for a brief moment then she glanced down at her clothes. "I'm fine, now. Thank you." Cameron said, tiredly. She took a step forward, swayed a bit, and stepped back to catch the door frame for support.

House was over at her side faster than he should have been able to and gesturing for Tonya, "Cripple, here. Can you give me a hand?"

And as they made their way down the hall, Cameron settled between them with an arm around each, Tonya turned to House, "What happened to her?"

"I don't know…" House murmured, catching Cameron's eyes and seeing the half haunted look that lingered there. "I don't know…"

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Please review if you have time! _

_Review reply to those of you who weren't signed in: _

_bwayfan: Thanks for the encouragement. :) I, obviously love House/Cam too lol :)_

_littleducecoupe: Thanks soo much and i feel your pain, Hameron stories are sooo hard to find.  
_

_coastspy: I'm sorry to hear that you weren't feeling well! I hope you recovered quickly and sorry for taking so long to update. Hope you're fairing much better now! :)_

_Thank you all of my lovely reviewers! Your words were much appreciated and taken to heart! Have an amazing holiday and a happy new year in case I don't talk to you before then! :)  
_


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